REPORT: Widnes Vikings 8-36 Wakefield Trinity

14th July 2017

Widnes Vikings were beaten 36-8 by Wakefield Trinity at the Halton Stadium.

The Vikings started the game on the front foot, and the pressure eventually paid off as Joe Mellor crossed for the opening try. A slow play the ball eventually found it’s way to Mellor, and he side-stepped his way past a number of Wakefield defenders to dive over. Stefan Marsh added the conversion.

Chris Chester’s side responded well to the Vikings’ opening try and gained a lot of position and go-forward from their pack, and were rewarded from with a Mason Caton-Brown try. The away side had a scrum following a Bridge knock-on, and Trinity go down the short left side from the scrum and break, eventually finding Caton-Brown to use his pace and get over, although Thompson did his best to stop him. Liam Finn couldn’t add the extras.

The away side were now pressurising the Vikings’ line, and almost went in front as Tupou broke down the left edge, and passed out to Caton-Brown. The winger was ruled to have been tackled without the ball by Ince, and Ryan was sent to the sin-bin for ten minutes.

The Vikings, despite losing Ince, held their own and would take the lead through Stefan Marsh’s penalty goal from 30 metres out.

Trinity eventually made their man advantage count and took the lead for the first time in the game through Bill Tupou. Corey Thompson dropped a Grix chip kick on the last to give the away side a fresh set, and on the next tackle they shifted it left for Tupou to hit a short pass to score. Liam Finn added the extras.

The away side extended their lead further as Sam Williams crossed the line close to half-time. The half-back received the ball from the scrum and he was able to evade two Vikings tacklers to go over. Finn converted Williams’ try to give Trinity a ten-point lead at the break.

Full-Time: Widnes Vikings 8-18 Wakefield Trinity

It took over twenty minutes into the second half for there to be any change to the scoreline, and Chris Chester’s side were the side to add to their tally with a try from Tinirau Arona. Sam Williams’ kick is collected by Arundel in the air, who offloaded well to Arona and he managed to squeeze in at the corner. Liam Finn converted the try from the touchline.

Trinity extended their lead further with ten minutes left on the clock as they shifted the ball out to Bill tupou, and the centre put Caton-Brown into space to score in the corner. Liam Finn converted from the touchline.

Wakefield recorded back-to-back tries, and their left edge made it happen, as Caton-Brown broke and passed it back inside to Tupou to go over the try-line. Liam Finn added the extras.